White Roses Black Heart
by SayuriBelle
Summary: Derek is the depressed six year old son of the workaholic Seto Kaiba himself. Derek’s mother died in a car crash after a costly divorce from this father. His dad works way too much, doesn’t spend any time with him. He’s (Derek) a loner with no frien
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Derek is the depressed six year old son of the workaholic Seto Kaiba himself. Derek's mother died in a car crash after a costly divorce from this father. His dad works way too much, doesn't spend any time with him. He's (Derek) a loner with no friends, and so the only person he can really depend on is his uncle Mokuba, who travels a lot as a representative for Kaiba Corp. He thinks his all alone until a nice new teacher transfers to his school. She takes a shinning to him, and he to her. Derek and her spend a lot of time together, and he looks to her as a mother figure, seen as his own never really was one. Derek adores her, everyone likes her, and so they decide to play matchmaker with her and Seto. Will the sparks fly?  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Derek sighed and kept staring out the window, his big deep blue eyes filling with tears. His father had cancelled on him, yet again. Didn't surprise him at all though. Going to a duel monsters tournament with just him and his father, seemed too good to be true. And it was.  
  
He'd dropped the entire night's events, for some lame meeting with some businessman, who was interested in launching a new system his father had designed and invented.  
  
He seemed to care more for his machines than his living and breathing six year old son.  
  
"Probably true anyway" thought Derek. "He'd probably love me more if I was a machine." He bit the inside of his cheek as his last thought.  
  
He stared down onto the courtyard where the black limo was waiting patiently for that night's passenger.  
  
"Three, two, one" whispered the little boy softly.  
  
Seto Kaiba's tall, lean frame walked quickly out of the huge mansion, and into the limo. Same clothes and suitcase as always. Derek had watched his father do this for as long as he could remember. Even when his mother was alive he'd do this. Not that he cared for her, or she for him.  
  
The only reason his father had married, and conceived was to boost his publicity rate, for himself and company. To look as though he cared for something other than his company. Which was true, but Mokuba was hardly around anymore. Been a representative for Kaiba Corp and all.  
  
His mother only married for his father's money, and maybe fame. You could hardly blame her; Seto was (and still is) one of the richest men in Japan, even the world.  
  
Derek forced himself to look away from the window, as the car drove away. He slowly turned his head to glance around his spacious room.  
  
He had everything all his class mates could dream of. Every single toy ever invented, video games, his own laptop, the Internet, his own phone and phone line, the list went on. He had everything, except love.  
  
That was all he'd ever wanted was to feel loved.  
  
The small boy got up, and walked over to a full-length mirror near his desk. He stared back at his reflection. He was of normal six-year-old height, (he'd probably shoot up as his father and uncle had done during their teens); he had his father's blue eyes and shape, Seto's chestnut hair, style and the lean body. Basically he looked like a miniature version of Seto, only his facial features were more soft and caring (like Mokuba's).  
  
Only now they were sad and depressed looking. That was usually the expression that Derek wore anyway.  
  
He was disturbed from studying his reflection, by a soft tap on the door.  
  
"Come in" Derek said, although it was hardly above a whisper.  
  
"Master Derek, sorry to disturb you" said a rather snooty elderly servant "Your dinner has been served, and is waiting for you downstairs."  
  
"I'll be down in a minute" was the child's reply.  
  
The man nodded and exited to room, quite gladly. The boy seemed to know too much, way beyond his years, and that scared him. Not only him, but the rest of the staff as well. They all kept away from Derek, if they could.  
  
Derek turned back to the mirror, and sighed deeply, but quietly.  
  
"Another dinner alone. Derek Mokuba Kaiba, this is your life," he said to his reflection, before exiting the room, to endure another lonely meal.  
  



	2. Chapter 2

In this fanfiction the sprits don't even exists. Sorry if that's a let down.   
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Settle down class, please settle down" Mr Brown tried to tell his energetic year one's. He was having no luck in getting them to be quiet. Derek watched his teacher try to quieten his classmates, from his seat in the very back row. He knew that Mr Brown wasn't going to have any luck, not with his class. Especially with an Ishtar and the Bakura triplets around.  
  
Mr Brown surprised Derek when he pulled a shiny sliver whistle out of his desk draw. He blew into it causing it to make a sharp ear-piercing sound, making the whole room deadly quiet. You could hear yourself breathe.  
  
"Right. Thank you year one" Mr Brown panted out, wiping some sweat from his brow. "Now as you know, it's my last day at Dominio Primary..."  
  
Derek looked at Malik Ishtar out of the corner of his eye, he saw him smiling and sniggering. For Malik hated Mr Brown, well any teacher in fact, but more so Mr Brown because Mr Brown rang his father every time Malik got in trouble, (which was pretty often) and always resulted in Malik been grounded. Derek knew Malik loved that Mr Brown leaving for another teaching job in France, he was absolutely loving it.  
  
"...So I would just like to say that's it's been great teaching you lot," he forced a smile. "And I hope that you will all behave and work well for your new teacher" he gave Malik a hard look when he said that last bit. Malik merely stared back at him.  
  
"So without further ado I give you your new teacher, Miss Chloe Saberhagan" he gestured towards the door. It opened, and in entered a woman.  
  
"AUNTY CHLOE!" yelled out blonde-headed little girl with the most gorgeous violet eyes.  
  
The woman smiled at the young girl's excitement, and bent down to her level. "Well hello to you too Charlotte," she smiled and hugged Charlotte.  
  
Mr Brown cleared his throat.  
  
"Sorry," apologised Chloe ending her embrace with Charlotte, and getting to her feet.  
  
Mr Brown forced another smile, and turned towards the class.  
  
"Miss Wheeler please take a seat," he gestured towards a vacant seat. "As I was saying before class, this is your new teacher Miss Saberhagan. I hope you will show her with the same respect that you showed me." His light eyes darted around the room. "Miss Saberhagan would you like to take over?"  
  
"Thank you Mr Brown." Smiled Miss Saberhagan. She was a pretty young woman. She had long brown hair, (like Mai's style, but only down to her elbows), big brown eyes and was short (about 5'2), but seemed really nice.  
  
"I would really like to play a kind of games with you. If that's all right with you Mr Brown?" she turned towards the other teacher.  
  
"They're your class now." He drawled.  
  
"Uh okay" she rolled her eyes. "Can everyone push the desks to one side of the room, and then sit in a circle in the middle of the floor?"  
  
Everyone got up and quickly pushed the desks and chairs to either side of the room, and then sat in a big circle in the middle of the room.  
  
"Okay this is a sort of game. We go around the circle in a clockwise direction. You introduce yourselves, first and last name, and tell everyone something unique about you. Whether it's a weird pet, nickname or your favourite food. Get it?" Chloe was looking from one face to another, as she finished explaining.  
  
They all still looked very confused.  
  
"Here I'll go first." She said at last putting her hand on her chest. "My name's Chloe Saberhagan and I like eating raw chocolate chip cookie dough." A small smile played on her lips. She gestured towards the small boy on her left.  
  
"Okay. I'm Joshua Mutou, and I'm the captain of the under sevens footy team." Said the small boy with a big smile on his face.  
  
"I'm Charlotte Wheeler, an my parents are the best duellists ever, making me the best too!" she smirked and crossed her arms.  
  
"I'm Katerina Mutou, and I'm called guppy, because I can do this." The girl sucked her cheeks in as far as she could making her eyes and lips look huge, like a big cute looking goldfish.  
  
Everyone giggled; Mr Brown even paused from cleaning out his desk to crack a smile.  
  
"I'm Isabella Devlin, and besides my father I am the champion at dungeon dice monsters." She smiled and fluttered her eyelashes.  
  
"I'm Rianna Taylor and I can read ancient Egyptian texts backwards." She blinked then looked to the person next to her."  
  
"Well I'm Brock...." "I'm Daniel" "And I'm Ryan." "And we're the Bakura triplets!" said the three identical faces in union, smiling cheekily at Chloe.  
  
This game went around the room, until there were only two people left. Derek and Malik Ishtar. Malik was first.  
  
"I'm Malik Ishtar, and I've got a test that each person I meet has to pass or I'll make their time spent with me a living hell." His voice was cold, his eyes unblinking, and was staring right at Chloe.  
  
"Well Mr Ishtar I'm known as the Diablo. That's Spanish for devil, so if you try to make my life hell I'll make yours ten times worse." She smirked at Malik's gaping mouth, and turned her attention to Derek.  
  
Derek cleared his throat nervously. "Well I'm Derek Kaiba and..." Before he could finish what he was going to say, the bell rang causing all of children's attention to be focused on there after school activates.  
  
The class was empty in a few minutes only leaving Chloe and Derek, as Mr Brown had unprofessionally raced out with the children.  
  
"Finish your sentence please Derek" said Chloe. Her tone was firm, but not commanding, more coaxing.  
  
"... And I am an orphan, with no friends." And with that comment Derek got up and walked out of the classroom, leaving Chloe staring open-mouthed after him.  
  
Hoped you liked this chapter. If you're confused by the characters then read below;  
  
DEREK: is Seto and another lady's son. I described him in the last chapter. JOSHUA & KATERINA: are Yugi and Tea's twins. They both have Yugi's eyes and Tea's hair colour and style. (Josh's is a boy cut), and they both have Yugi's long blonde bangs over their eyes. Look more like Yugi in facial features, and attitude. CHARLOTTE: is the daughter of Mai and Joey. Has Joey's colour hair, Mai's style, but is down to her shoulders. And has Mai's eyes, facial features and attitude. ISABELLA: is Serenity and Duke's daughter. Has Duke's eyes, hair and attitude. Serenity's features. RIANNA: is Tristan and Isis's daughter. Has Tristan's hair and stomach. Isis's eyes, facial features and personality. BROCK, DANIEL AND RYAN: the triplets of Ryou. Their mother is dead. They all look like Ryou. They like to play pranks, and are loud. Brock is the more passive one, while Daniel and Ryan are more outgoing. MALIK: is Marik's son. His mother is divorced, and living in another state. He looks like a miniature version of Marik. Has the same sort of personally. And is constantly in trouble, usually a result of his pranks.  
  
Hope that helps you out a bit. If you have any questions about the fic, or comments then review me! In my future chapters you will learn the character's jobs and stuff 


	3. Chapter 3

  
  
Chapter 3  
  
A dark blue car pulled up in front of a nice spilt level home in the better part of Dominio. And out stepped Chloe.  
  
She needed help, she'd been very uneasy since Derek had said that comment. She knew that he was Seto Kaiba's son, so that didn't make him an orphan, but the friends comment made her feel really sad. And the orphan comment too. Why would you say something that wasn't true? Especially if you were only six! She frowned. She had to talk to someone, and usually if she needed to talk she turned to the only person she knew who she could speak to in confidence. Her brother, Ashley.  
  
Chloe walked to the front door and knocked loudly three times. She heard a shuffle of shoes on carpet, and the gurgle of a baby's laugh.  
  
"CHLOE!" squealed her sister-in-law Abby.  
  
Chloe smiled and hugged her. Ash's wife was always full of energy, same with Ash  
  
Chloe stepped back, placing her hands on Abby's shoulders. Staring at her square in the eyes. She studied the pretty blonde's face, her bright green eyes, white skin and bubbly "what you see, is what you get" personality. No wonder Ash had fallen head over heels for her.  
  
"Come on. Come in. Your favourite nephew wants to be fed by his favourite aunty!" she smiled and led Chloe inside.  
  
Chloe followed Abby inside, to the lounge room.  
  
"I'll just go get Matthew and his bottle." Said Abby speaking at 20 words per second. "Do you want anything to eat or drink? Ash is in the study working on some new plays for the grand final, footy game on Saturday. Everyone is hoping that Dominio High will win this year. I'd better go get Matt." And with that she disappeared out the door.  
  
Chloe smiled, and leant over, to the bookcase to pick up a photo frame. She looked at the picture. It was of Ash, Matt and her, just after Matthew was born. She had her arm around Ash's shoulder. He looked so proud, his light blue eyes were shining, and long straight black hair (that hung around his lower back, bit like Mokuba's) seemed full of life too. His rouged handsome face was glowing too.  
  
Chloe smiled and moved her gaze to Matthew. He had the same dark and free hair as his father, and manly features, even as a baby they stood out. He had his mother's eyes though. Chloe bit the inside of her cheek, thinking that she would never have that.  
  
She was interrupted by Abby's voice.  
  
"Chloe you gonna feed Matty or stare at old photo's all day long?" she was smiling though.  
  
They both laughed.  
  
Chloe held her arms out to cradle Matt. Abby placed the seven-month-old baby in her arms, and handed her the feeding bottle.  
  
Abby took the photo out of Chloe's grasp and placed it back on the bookshelf. "You are a very good photographer," Chloe commented not looking up from her task of feeding the hungry baby.  
  
"It's my job! Course I gotta be good at it!" she smiled and giggled again.  
  
Abby sat down and looked at Chloe.  
  
"So what's up? You haven't visited in a while."  
  
"Of course I haven't visited in a while I've been in Spain for the past six years!" Chloe stuck out her tongue at Abby.  
  
"But you've been in town for three weeks!" Abby pointed out sticking her tongue out at Chloe.  
  
"I visited the Thursday before last!" Chloe tipped to bottle up more so Matt could get some more formula.  
  
"Seriously what's up?" Asked Abby in a serious tone, one that she didn't use that often.  
  
"I need to talk to Ash." Chloe sighed and sat Matt up to burp him. He gave her a nice loud burp. "Nice one Bubby." She whispered.  
  
"Sounds serious. I'd better finish feeding Matty while you go talk to Ash." She got up and lifted Matt out of Chloe's arms. "He's in the study." She pointed with the bottle in the direction of the study, before sitting back down to finish feeding her son.  
  
Chloe got up and wandered through the hall to the study, and knocked softly on the door.  
  
"Unless you're a sexy blonde named Abigail Saberhagan that's come to give me pleasure. I don't want to talk to you." Growled a voice. It sounded very irritated.  
  
Chloe rolled her brown eyes. "Knock it off Ashy. And let me in, I need to talk to you."  
  
She heard a low laugh, and the turning of the doorknob. "Hey how's my favourite big sister?"  
  
Chloe smiled and hugged the taller person.  
  
"I'm fine, how's my favourite little brother?" she looked up at him.  
  
"Pretty damn good actually, for someone who's at least a foot taller than his older sister." He gave her a cheeky grin.  
  
She swotted him on the arm playfully. And walked into the study.  
  
"So what's up?" said Ash walking over to his desk and tidying up some papers, that were scattered across the desk.  
  
"Nothing much, with my life anyway." Chloe sighed sinking down into a leather chair.  
  
"Oh?" Ash said looking up at her and raising his eyebrow. "So there's something on your mind, about someone else." He sat down opposite her and rested his elbow on the armrest.  
  
"Mmm...." Chloe was studying her hands with great interest.  
  
Ash merely sat there and didn't say a word. He knew that when she was ready that they'd talk.  
  
A few minutes rolled by, before Chloe finally said something.  
  
"Ash do you remember when mum and dad died?" she glanced sideways at him.  
  
"No. I wasn't even a day old, when mum died anyway. Dad was dead before I was born." He snorted and stared at her.  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes, and then tried again.  
  
"Do you remember when Grandpa died?"  
  
Ash nodded his head sharply, and took to staring down at his lap. Their Grandpa's sudden death had shaken them both up, especially Ash.  
  
"He was like our dad. He'd raised us from the day I was born." He said.  
  
Chloe nodded and went on.  
  
"Well a boy at the primary school... he's about six. He called himself an orphan, but I know that he has a father..."  
  
"The mother?"  
  
"Dead. According to records"  
  
Ash starched his chin in thought. "Sounds like the kids had a ruff time, with his dad."  
  
"His father is Seto Kaiba...."  
  
"WELL THAT'S EXPLAINS A WHOLE FUCKING LOT!" shouted Ash, suddenly jumping to his feet, knocking over the chair.  
  
"Ash, PLEASE! I need you to swallow your anger and please help me out." Chloe pleaded.  
  
"I'm not so sure I want to help anymore. After what that prick did to Grandpa!" Ash spat out, the daggers were flying. "I can't believe that you would forgive him that easily, after what he did. His son will probably be no better!" He turned sharply, crossing his arms and stared out the window, in a stony silence.  
  
Chloe sighed.  
  
"No Ash I haven't forgotten what he put Grandpa through..."  
  
"Stole his company...made a laughing stock of him.... Causing him to have the heart attack..." he muttered darkly.  
  
"...But if Grandpa were here he'd telling you to stop being a pig-headed idiot, pull your socks up and help me out." She frowned at him.  
  
Ash knew she was right. He put the chair up right and flopped back down on the chair. Only to stare at her.  
  
"He's nothing like Seto, you can tell. By the way he talks and acts around other people, especially the other children in the classroom."  
  
Ash seemed to relax a bit at that comment, but you could tell that he wasn't convinced.  
  
"Anyway. He called himself an orphan..."  
  
"No wonder." was a dark mutter  
  
"... And he also said that he had no friends."  
  
Chloe stared intensely at Ash, hoping to hear a solution to her problem.  
  
Although Abby was in the lounge room, she could still hear the two siblings talking and yelling at one another. She shook her pretty head, and rolled her eyes at her son who was happily crawling around on the floor after his red fire truck she was pushing along for him.  
  
A few minutes later Chloe emerged from the study, followed by Ash.  
  
Abby looked up at them both, and scooped Matthew up in her arms.  
  
"I heard a lot of shouting going on, so you two must have sorted the issue out." Smiled Abby cradling Matt lovingly in her arms.  
  
"Yeah we did" Ash smiled sheepishly.  
  
Chloe walked a few steps towards the front door, and turned towards Ash who had his arms around Abby's shoulders.  
  
"Better go. I've got a heap of paper work to get through this weekend. So I guess I'll be seeing you three at the footy game on Saturday."  
  
"You're coming?" questioned Ash looking surprised. "You haven't been to a footy game since, well.... Since I was playing it in year ten!"  
  
"Course I'm coming, I haven't seen you couch yet, for the three years you've been teaching, so I'd better make up for it." She smiled at him, and put her hand on the doorknob.  
  
"Cya Saturday then." Abby bubbled waving Matt's little hand at Chloe.  
  
Chloe giggled and said goodbye. She walked out the front door and quickened her walking pace to her car.  
  
She got in and started to drive to her apartment in Elm Street. Her mind going over what Ash had suggested to do.  
  
"Try spending time with him. If he can get along and hang out with an adult who can act like a kid, then maybe he might find it easier to make friends of his own age. Who knows it might help him get along with his dad better. Be warned though, you and/or him might get too attached, so try not to let it come to that."  
  
Chloe smiled and pulled up into the apartment building driveway. She turned off the motor slowly.  
  
"Derek Kaiba, I'm going to help you, whether you want me to or not." She whispered and then walked inside the building.  
  
If you're confused. Abby, Ash and Matt are my characters.  
  
Abby is Chloe's sister-in-law. She is a professional photographer. Ash is Chloe's only sibling. He is the Dominio high's football coach. Matthew is Chloe's nephew. He is Ash and Abby's son. He is only seven months old.  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Derek stared down at his expensive and delicious smelling meal that one of the servants had set down before him. He wasn't hungry that night. He glanced up across the table at his Uncle.

His Uncle Mokuba had just come home from Russia; Kaiba Corp was hoping to finally expand their business to all of Europe. It was only known in the United Kingdom.

Derek quickly snuck a glance at his father who was sitting at the head of the table. Seto had his chin rested on his clasped hands in the air; his attention was turned towards his younger brother, who was talking about his visit to Russia.

Derek dared to sneak another glance at Seto. His father's profile was still of stone as it had in his teenage years. Derek had come across some photos of Seto when he was a teenager. He hadn't changed much from his teenage image, only now he seemed more heartless and cruel looking than he ever had.

Derek stared back down at his plate; he forced himself to eat a forkful of food.

"...Great Kremlin Place was so well structured and wonderful..." came Mokuba's voice.

"Tasted like cottonwool." He grimaced silently to himself. Derek never really liked any of the food that he was served. He would have just been happy with takeaway in front of the TV. Of course that would never happen. No Seto wouldn't have any of that; it had to be expensive, smell delicious, but tasted like crap. Derek smiled to himself at his last thought.

"...Bolshi Theatre... So what do you think Derek?" interjected Mokuba's voice into Derek's trail of thought.

Derek looked up with a surprised expression on his face.

"Par-pardon?" Derek said quietly. He caught his father's expression out the corner of his eye. Seto was frowning at him. He had done that all of Derek's life. Derek couldn't even remember a time when Seto smiled at him, or at all, well a real smile not smirking.

Derek looked back at his uncle, hoping he wasn't that mad that he hadn't been listening to him. He wasn't, he just seemed taken aback.

Mokuba cleared his throat and started to say something, but Seto interrupted him.

"Derek, if you can't partake in this family discission, then leave." His voice was like an icy cold bucket of water been thrown over Derek.

Derek looked into his father's eyes, and without breaking eye contact; he pushed back his chair and exited the room, and headed to his bedroom.

Mokuba watched his nephew exit the room; he turned towards Seto.

"Why'd you do that Seto?" he sighed and looked at his older brother. "Derek's just a child, he didn't have to listen to me rabbiting on." He pulled a hand through his long, thick, black hair that still hung low around his back.

Seto pursed his lips together, and turned to face Mokuba.

"Derek may be a child, but he is also the future CEO to my company. He needs to learn how to act responsible and mature if he ever wants to run this company successfully. Discipline is the key to success." His voice was dry, and kind of irritated.

Mokuba rolled his eyes.

"Yes, but do you really need to treat him like this at such a young age...."

"If he wants to be a successful businessman like myself than yes. You can't build character on love."

".... But you can build trust on love." Mokuba stared at the elder Kaiba. "Which was something that you and I never got from our stepfather, and to be quite frank with you Seto you are really doing the same thing to Derek. Is that what you want? To have your son's childhood ruined like ours was?" Mokuba was trying to crack his fingers, something he did only when he was nervous.

"Stop that Mokuba." Seto snapped at him. "And another thing. Derek is the future CEO of this company, and I will teach him in the way that I see fitting." His eyes were shooting fireballs at his younger brother.

"Funny how he's never your son, only the future CEO of your company...." Mokuba muttered darkly staring down at his plate.

"THAT'S ENOUGH MOKUBA!" Seto sprang up from his seat, knocking his chair over.

Mokuba wiped his mouth with his napkin and threw it down on his plate.

"Your right Seto, that's enough. Good night."

And with that he got up and headed to his room.

In Derek's room, he could hear his father and uncle talking amongst themselves and then he heard his father yell at his uncle. He inwardly cringed. Seto had never yelled like that at Uncle Mokuba, he must be really pissed.

He gave a really loud sigh and shifted a bit on the window seat he was sitting on. He stared out to the deep blue sky and watched the full moon.

He heard a firm rap on the door, and then the creak of the hinges as the door was slowly opened.

"Derek?" the voice was low and deep yet soft.

Derek whipped his head around in surprise.

"Yes Uncle Mokuba?"

"Are you okay?" he sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to him for Derek to sit down. "You know your father didn't mean to be so cold, but he does get annoyed when you don't use your manners."

Derek sat down on the spot Mokuba had patted without uttering a sound.

"Even if the conversation you are in is boring and uninteresting, you do have to listen." Mokuba paused letting his words sink in. "I really don't care if you don't listen to me, ya know." He gave Derek a lopsided smile. Derek gave a small smile back.

Mokuba pulled him in for a fierce bear hug; Derek replied by squeezing him tighter.

Derek sighed and snuggled closer to his uncle; he loved moments like this. This is what he craved; love. His uncle always made him feel like he was on cloud nine, which he was.

Mokuba heaved a big sigh, Derek knew what was coming.

"Derek..."

"Please don't leave just yet Uncle Mokuba, you just got back..." Derek looked up at Mokuba, his blue orbs filling quickly with tears.

"Sorry Derek, but your father wants me to fly over to Italy first thing in the morning to confirm a business deal that we need." He kissed him lightly on the forehead, then without a word, he got up and left, closing the door swiftly behind him.

"Alone again..." Derek mumbled to himself, pulling his knees up to hug his chest.

sorry for not updating this for a really long time, but I had a really bad case of writers block, and I really couldn't be bothered writing anyway.


	5. REVEIWS!

First of all thank you to everyone that has reviewed in this story. I'm finally going to respond to em all.

**Metalsilverarmor23:** thank you for saying was cute that Derek's middle name was Mokuba. Hope you like the last chapter I just posted!

**jadeskyeangel529**: I'm sorry if the story was making you cry, but hey at least you liked it! Thanks for your review I'm glad that you felt moved by it.

**Anonymous reviewer 1:** thanks for saying it was tear jerking. Sorry if it made you cry though!

**Anonymous reviewer 2:** in answer to your question is yes (I kinda don't want to spoil it for everyone else! ), yes I know that Seto's mean (in this story anyway), but it goes with the story and Derek's feelings.


	6. more reviews

More reviews! I'm so happy!

Does a little dance around the room!

**Setalina Muro: **hey thanks for reviewing! Sorry if it makes you cry, but thanks for saying it's cute! This is my favourite story (of mine) so you don't have to worry about my not continuing, I certainly will.

**Metalsilverarmor23:** thanks for reviewing again!

Derek's alone again coz Mokuba's leaving, writing that chappie made me nearly cry, honest! I'll update when I decide on the next chappie!

**Macduff's Mistress: **thanks for reviewing! And saying it was really good!

**Turtle Bluesummers: **thanks for reviewing! Please don't cry for Derek, I'll try and make it happier in the future chappies but just not yet.

And thanks to the anonyms reviewer who said that it was stupendous!


	7. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Derek sat slumped in his seat, staring at his perfect grade on his latest maths test. He'd always gotten the top marks in mathematics, science and technology based subjects. But not even his latest academic achievement couldn't cure his heart, even for a minute or two, of his loneliness he felt now that his Uncle had left.

Mokuba had left early that morning, he'd come in and said goodbye and given Derek a hug, but still loneliness weighed down the young boy's heart, like a heavy weight pulling him down.

"Now class, I need you all to give this notice to your parents to sign." Came Miss Saberhagan's voice, interrupting Derek's mood.

He met his teacher's eyes when she placed the notice on his desk, they reflected kindness and concern?

"Why Miss S?" whinged Malik Istar.

"Unless you wish to have lunch hour spent with me Malik, call me Miss Saberhagan." She gave him a small smile, to which surprisedly he returned. "And in answer to your question. It's for parent teacher interviews…"

Whispers started almost immediately, for she'd only handed out to half of the class.

"Okay, okay lets not get too excited everyone, will get one…"

More whispers, one kid looked like he was about to cry.

Chloe held up her hand for silence. "No one's in trouble I just wish to talk to your parents and tell them what you have achieved in my class so far, which I'm glad to say, 99 of it is good."

"99? What about the other 1?" came Isabella Devlin's voice.

"Well…hrm... I really just can't forget about the rat infestation incident…" colour flooded to Chloe's cheeks.

Derek smirked down at his desk. Malik Istar, Brock Bakura, Daniel Bakura and Ryan Bakura, had decided to play a stupid prank on Miss Saberhagan and all the girls of the class, in the first week that Miss Saberhagan had been appointed teacher.

On a Friday night Malik had collected a HUGE rat, probably from a back alley or somewhere, and placed it in Miss Saberhagan's top draw of her desk, knowing she would open it. Then the three Bakura boys got big rubber rats with "real fur" (like rabbit fur) and placed one in each of the girl's desks. By Monday the classroom stunk, caused by he decaying rat in his teachers desk.

As soon as everyone was seated, they were told to open their desks and grab paper and pen. No sooner had the words left her mouth that there were loud, high-pitched screams. Miss Saberhagan also looked in her desk; she calmly got a box of tissues, scoped up the rat and threw it out the window. Then she left the room to throw up. Meanwhile Malik, Ryan, Brock and Daniel laugh themselves stupid. They'd got detention for a week when she'd come back and calmed everyone down.

"But surprisingly they don't seem to hate her for it." Derek mused, his eyes scanning the form. He knew that his father 'didn't have the time' to have this interview with Miss Saberhagan about his academic achievements. He only hoped that he could get a suitable time, for when Uncle Mokuba was home. He'd go to the meeting, Derek knew he would.

"Anyway class, can you all please try to get your parents to sign these forms and have them to me by tomorrow? If there are any problems with that ask your parents to call me or you can just talk to me, okay?" she gave out the last notice, and glanced at the clock on the wall. "How about you all go to lunch three minutes early. Class dismissed" She smiled and watched everyone pile out of the classroom.

Derek sighed and put his papers in his desk.

"Derek, can I talk to you?" Chloe said taking the maths paper out of his hand.

"Umm...okay Miss Saberhagan." Derek muttered staring down at his desk.

"This..." she began placing the paper back down on the desk. "Is, one of the very best scores that I've ever given to a primary school student." She sat down on the seat in front of him, just looking at him.

Derek fidgeted a bit under her gaze.

"Did you find the test easy?"

"I...um..." Derek stammered, not used to this much attention, from anyone other than Mokuba.

"Derek." She exhaled loudly. "I'm not going to be mad, if you found the test easy or not. I just want to help you." She rested her chin on the back of the seat, so she was eye-level with him.

"I…I...found it easy." Derek managed to get out.

"Good."

Derek's head shot up, and stared at her in surprise. She was grinning.

"You're a straight A student Derek, and you deserve a challenge. If you want a challenge, I'll give you harder work. I'm quite willing to give it to you if you want it and can handle it. Which I have tremendous faith that you will." She grinned again at the gob-smacked boy.

"I…Well I…" Derek's cheeks were on fire.

"Do you want to try to do some now? Then you can make up your mind." She blinked and straightened up. "If you do, we'll start with maths, one of your best subjects I believe."

"Well...Okay" Derek got out a pen, while Chloe got the paper from her desk. The paper placed in front of him was full of equations. He started straight away almost like he was hungry for them.

Chloe stared intently at him watching him whiz through them. He was done in like three minutes. She grabbed a red pen from her desk and quickly corrected them.

"97" she seemed surprised. Derek was going to comment of her expression, but she cut in. "So do you want to do this as extra credit? It will go on your final school mark."

Derek merely nodded, unable to speak; embarrassed by the attention that she was giving him.

"Good. Then I'll start giving it to you next week." She smiled and gestured towards the door. "Bet your hungry, go to lunch." The bell rang after her sentence.

After Derek had left the room, Chloe gave a small sigh. " A high mark on a test that is at the third year level? Amazing." She'd felt that he could handle that test, but not as well as he had.

"With his mind, he could become something great" she chewed the inside of her cheek. "But more than likely his social ability and confidence will slow him right down. Unless someone helps him." she got up and headed towards the staffroom. Her mind uneasy.

OUTSIDE

"WATCH OUT!"

Derek looked up and ducked the football that had came hurtling towards him only minutes before.

"Hey! Are you okay?" Josh Mutou came up to him. "I didn't get you did I? Sorry if I did." Josh held his hand out to help Derek up off the ground.

"No…no…you didn't get me." Derek stared at the ground shuffling his feet.

"Oh. Good. If I had of got you your dad would've sued my dad. Anyways cya!" the boy grinned and ran back to the oval with his ball.

Derek stared after him. Is that only why some people seemed to care? Because they were afraid of his father?" he kicked the ground in frustration and sat down with his arms folded.

"Why do people have to be so fake? They only seem to care because of money, power, fame or fear! Why? It doesn't make any sense!" he pondered this, while hugging his knees to his chest, a single tear making its way down his cheek.

Derek sat there all lunchtime. Thinking. Never saying a word, moving a muscle or making a sound. The only time that he did move was when the bell rang for next classes.


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

Derek inhaled deeply, and turned to lie on his back, putting his hands behind his head. He stared up at his cream-coloured ceiling, listening to the light rain pitting against the window of his bedroom.

He glanced over his alarm clock; it read 5.30 in the morning.

Derek couldn't sleep; he hadn't really slept well in ages. But more particularly tonight.

He'd received a letter from his Uncle Mokuba earlier that night. Mokuba had to stay in Italy longer. The meeting (to confirm the business deal they needed) had being postponed to the weekend, as the CEO of Alfieri Industrial, had become a grandfather the day the meeting was scheduled.

"It's not fair." Derek screamed in thought, biting his lip. "Why can't something go right, for once?" an angry tear slipped down his cheek. "JUST ONCE!" he shot up out of his bed and threw his pillow across the room, with a lot of force. The pillow landed on the other side of the room, knocking over an old puzzle that hadn't been placed on the bookshelf properly, scattering the pieces all over the floor.

Derek stared at the pieces as they flew across the floor. Breathing heavily. He quietly got out of bed and went over to pick them up. He picked up about five pieces, before realising what puzzle it was.

It was the 500-piece puzzle was of a Blue Eyes White Dragon flying through a moonlight sky with a young boy riding on it's back. Derek remembered why this puzzle was so special to him. His father had given it to him for his fourth birthday, and Derek knew that he'd really put some effort into finding it, as Uncle Mokuba had told him of his dream as a little boy of him and Seto flying away from their stepfather on a Blue Eyes. That was really the only time that Derek had remembered Seto being genuinely caring towards him. He still smiled about it.

He wiped his cheeks of his tears with his pyjama sleeve, lied down on his stomach and began to do the puzzle.

By 6.00am he'd already gotten all the end pieces put together, and was starting to fill it all in. When 7.00am came he had already finished the entire puzzle, and was starting to put it all away before one of the servants came to "wake him up". Not that they needed bother, for Derek was nearly always up when they came.

By quarter to eight he was already down stairs, readily dressed and eating his breakfast, at the long oak table. His father usually wouldn't be there, for he was either at work or in his office working. But surprisedly he was sitting there this morning, in a terrible mood while reading the paper.

He'd snapped at least five different servants in the last three minutes, spat out his coffee all over the tablecloth and was now muttering dangerously to himself about the fall in the stock market, mainly around Kaiba Corp's shares.

Derek was well aware that when Seto was in this kind of mood you keep your head down, shut up and do as you're told. So he ate his breakfast quietly and then went to school in the second limo. He and his father never road in the same limo, Derek never understood why and Seto never bothered to explain. So the silence remained.

IN THE LIMO

"Driver stop!" Derek suddenly demanded, out of the blue.

The Driver complied, and glanced at the young boy in the review mirror, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Of course Sir, may I ask why?"

"I wish to walk the rest of the way to school." Derek said quickly, hoping his newfound confidence wouldn't leave him too soon.

"But S-sir…"

Derek was halfway out of the limo before he stopped and threw the driver a glare. "And I wouldn't tell my father about this, for I know people that can do much worse than to fire you!" And with that he left the car, slammed the door and strolled the rest of the block to school.

AT DOMINO PRIMARY

Derek walked into the classroom, well tiptoed was more like it. And quietly went to his seat. He could hear loud chattering going on all around the classroom, about various topics. Football, the new Barbie that was out, duel monsters, who got into a punch up, moaning about their crap lunches, etc. And basically ignoring him like they usually did. Though it wasn't really their fault, as Mokuba had told him before. Their parents had known Seto as teenagers and well, thought that Derek might be exactly like him.

Derek just sighed and put his head down on his desk, feeling it's cool surface against his forehead.

"Good morning class."

Derek glanced up. In strolled Chloe, her cheeks flushed from the cool morning air.

"Good morning Miss Saberhagan." Chimed the class scrambling for their seats. Ready for the day.

Chloe just chuckled at them, while shuffling some papers on her desk.

"Well, I've got a lot of preparation to do for tonight, so I'm going to make this a "bludge" day. An easy day full of hardly any work." She gave them her famous there's-more-going-on-than-I'm-telling-you smirk.

"What's the catch?" spoke up Daniel.

"If the class doesn't work with minimal level noise, everyone will have to get up and give a 3-minute speech about their drawing you are going to do. Which may count towards tonight's parent-teacher interview discussion." She grinned at them, knowing she'd scared them good. For what kid isn't scared of their parent's moods?

"I'll go get some paper, pencils and crayons." With that she waltzed out the room.

Everyone turned to look at the Bakura's and Malik.

"What?" said Malik, shrugging his shoulders. "We ain't going to do nothing."

"Sure and pigs'll grow wings and fly." Thought Derek quietly to himself.

After Chloe had returned and handed out the required tools, everyone set to work.

"What to draw?" Derek pondered. Miss Saberhagan just said to draw what ever came to mind or that holds some importance. He glanced around, watching everyone else scribbling away; even Malik was doing something, though it looked like doodling.

"Ermm…" Derek groaned, it frustrated him to no end, not being able to come up with any ideas. Suddenly one came to mind. He gave that famous Kaiba smirk, subcontusely and set to work with the pencils and crayons.

Chloe glanced up, her eyes scanning the classroom, before landing on Derek. Who'd finally set to work.

"I wonder what he's drawing." She thought quietly to herself, her eyes flickering from Derek to the interview times in front of her. She'd scanned the names for Derek's guardian/s. though she could find none. She would use her lunch hour to ring him up personally and make a time.

"Finally done." Derek smiled to himself, his drawing was finally done. And it worked to his desired effect and everything.

Then the bell rang, making him leave the picture on his desk. To which a few minutes later Chloe came around and picked up, placing it in her bag. A plan forming in her head.

"Kaiba, Kaiba, Kaiba…. Where are you?"

"Looking for something?" a low, masculine voice cut in.

Chloe's head shot straight up, causing her a hit her head pretty hard on the edge of the vertical file cabinet she was looking in.

"Kisama!"

The male gave a small chuckle, and patted the cabinet "affectionately" on its top.

"Yes old Bessie can be a son of a bitch sometimes, but hey everyone can, even the best of us, ey Chlo?"

"I resent that comment Tsunami…and hey were you just flirting with me?" she stuck out her tongue and then frown comically at him.

Mako Tsunami let out a loud laugh; putting an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her in a sort of embrace.

" You can't tell my wife, but" he made a "shh" gesture, and gave her a big wink.

She just rolled her eyes.

"So what were you looking for?" he sprang back and faced her.

"I was looking for the contact details of Seto Kaiba."

"And why, you of all people, would want to do that?" he gave her a genuine frown. "After what he did, to your family and…"

"I know, you were with me Mako, you were from the start." She gave an aspirated sigh. " But it's for his sons benefit, not anyone else's. You've taught Derek."

"Yer, did pretty good in the self defence course that we did, too."

"You know what he's like. A good boy. Too good for his father, actually."

Mako smirked at that.

"More to the point, I think that if I can make Seto Kaiba notice him, then Derek would have a hell of a lot more self confidence. To try new things, and do things that he already loves. Hell he'd probably be as cocky as you and Ash put together."

"Bite me."

"Where?"

Mako gave her the finger, and with a flick of her arm, reached into the cabinet and pulled out the Kaiba file.

"Here, and good luck." He handed her the file, and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Just don't piss him off, you won't get what you need…or want." He gave her a half smile and then exited the room.

"Hmmmm"

Chloe walked over to the nearest desk with a phone on it and sat down, opening up the file and locating the phone number of the CEO. She picked up the receiver and quickly punched in the number, hoping that Mako had given her the right file.

"What is it?" snapped the voice on the other end.

"Hello, Mr Kaiba? I am your son, Derek's, teacher…"

"I have not the time nor patience for this, so state your business and hang up."

Chloe pursed her lips, wanting to sass him so bad, yet held her temper. "You haven't made a time for the parent-teacher interviews that are tonight."

"That is correct."

"Don't you wish to make a time and hear about your son's progress?" a frown crossed her features, and reflected into her voice.

"No. I have a company to run, and not the time for juvenile things, such as that." His voice was icier than ever.

"Well, gee, aren't you a dotting father then?" sarcasm took over Chloe's voice and made itself known.

"Excuse me?" Seto's voice rose a few notches.

"You heard me." She retorted childishly.

"I don't think you realise what I can do…"

"Oh I think that I have a pretty good idea…" she muttered.

"What?" his voice was icy, and obversely pissed.

"Whom do you think…" a background voice cut through his sentence on his line.

"Look, what ever your name is, I don't care. I'm not coming tonight, and that's final. I have more important things to attend to."

And with that he hung up, abruptly. Chloe listened to the low hum of the beeping, before slamming down the receiver in frustration.

"Baka yaroo." (Stupid bastard))

Alright lets recap on that chapter. Yes a lot of different things happened. Different inspiration times and things. And on that note SORRY THAT I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN FOREVER! But inspiration hadn't stuck, and I had a huge writers block, which I'm just getting over, so sorry.

Couple of notes; Mako's the P.E teacher. Mako and Chloe aren't together, and never were. They are just lifelong friends that have known each other since in nappies and have witnessed each other's life changing moments, blah blah blah. Mako just was spot filler though, so I don't think that I'll put him in again, I don't know.


	9. Chapter 7

Sorry I haven't updated in a long time! Our computer needed to be fixed and we were going to lose all of our files. So I saved them onto a floppy that was crappy. And they didn't save! GRRRR! So sorry, I had written a tiny bit more, but now I've lost it and also I had/still have major writer's block.

This chapter has sexual references, so please note that.

Disclaimer: I don't own yu-gi-oh or the fantastic band Nickelback, who get a very short mention in this chapter.

Chapter 7

"Alright, who's next?" muttered Chloe to herself, her eyes scanning the list of parent's and their interview times. She'd already sat through nearly half of the list, and was exhausted. Hearing each parent blabber on about how great or how much greater their child was to become. You get really tried of hearing the same thing over and over.

"Oh well…at least there's a bottle of tequila, a box of chocolates and a Nickelback CD to go home to." She mused, rubbing her forehead, and then going to the door.

"Okay Mr and Mrs Devlin, can you come in. please?"

She walked back to her desk and retrieved Isabella Devlin's reports. Before too long in entered two people, a man and a woman. The woman had doe-like hazel eyes and long auburn-coloured hair that framed her face, that had a small smile on it. The man had long, straight, black hair tossed into a careless ponytail, an arrogant smirk, and green eyes with a self-made tattoo under the left eye.

"Or perhaps, a scar, made into a tattoo." Chloe though to herself. (1)

"Mr and Mrs Devlin, I presume?" asked Chloe politely, sticking out her hand.

Both the said people shook her hand in turn; then sat down.

"Well I think that you'll both be happy to know that Isabella is a delight to teach, she's smart, pretty, has good communication skills…

Serenity beamed at this.

"My only concern is that she is rather, how do I say this, cocky? Towards the other students, especially during games, mainly games concerning dice."

Serenity giggled. "She's just like her father, it's either genetic or from playing too much dungeon dice monsters"

Duke rolled his eyes and gave a small smile; "well I can't help it if I own a popular game shop selling my invention."

Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I don't know what else to tell you, her academic skills are quite good, and she always is the first to volunteer to help out. She doesn't need any help with anything really. Do either of you have any questions?"

"No, thank you Miss Saberhagan." Serenity got up and shook Chloe's hand once more, Duke got up and did the same, and then they both exited, Duke's hand on Serenity's lower back.

"Mr and Mrs Taylor." Chloe called at the doorway, putting away Isabella's file and grabbing out Rianna's file. Her eyes only moving upwards, when she heard the said people entered the room.

The woman was tall and elegant. Long, straight, black hair, decorated in golden jewelry, framed a solemn expression and piercing blue eyes. She well, glided (2) over to the seats and sat down. A tall, stocky, looking man followed her. He had brown hair that was "gelled" into some sort of point, and had goldeny-brown eyes.

"Isis and Tristan Taylor?" Chloe asked peering down at the file. (3)

"Yes, that is correct." Answered Isis, even before Tristan had sat down.

Once they were seated, Chloe began talking.

"Well Rianna is a brilliant student, she is very bright, and her knowledge of history really bewilders me."

"She's got her mother to thank for that." Tristan smiled, placing his hand over Isis's, earning a half smile from her.

"She seems a little serious though, that really only worries me when she's communicating with other students. It's not a real concern though, so I don't see any reason to worry. So do you have any questions?"

"Yer, I've got one." Spoke Tristan leaning forward in his seat. "Are the canteen meals as cra- disgusting as they were when I was here last?"

"Tristan!" Isis spoke indigently, frowning harshly at him.

Chloe gave a small laugh. " Yes, I swear that sometimes I can taste last weeks beef in their hamburgers."

"My poor little Rianna…" he shook his head in mock sadness.

Isis rolled her eyes, and stood up. "Thank you Mrs Saberhagan, and please forgive my husband." She shot a sharp look towards Tristan.

"That's okay, and it's MISS Saberhagan."

"Sorry." She answered giving a quick nod, before swiftly exiting the room, Tristan walking/running after her.

Chloe exhaled loudly, walking to the door. "Mr and Mrs Moutou, please."

As she was walking back to her desk, the said couple entered, following her, and then sitting down in the seats. The man was one the short side, with the most unusual hair. It was back and mauve, with blonde bangs hanging around his eyes and was pulled up into several spikes. His eyes were of an innocent purple colour. (4) The woman was taller, with short, bob of straight brown hair and wide-spaced baby blue eyes and a permanent-looking smile.

"Thank you for seeing us Miss Saberhagan." Spoke the man, not much shorter than her.

"That is quite alright Mr Moutou, now let's get down to business and discuss your child…er…children." She flipped through the pages, of the booklet. "Who would you rather talk about first Josh or Katerina first?"

"ummmm…well…lets discuss Katerina first." Tea shot Yugi a knowing side-ways glance.

"Well, she's a bright student, who has an eye for comedy." Chloe smirked, thinking of her first day. "But her Math isn't as well as it should be, particularly times tables."

"So, basically we just have to help her learn them better, is that what you're saying?" asked Tea politely.

"Yes and no, I think that if I give her extra math homework, it might help as well." She cocked her head to the side. "But that's only if the both of you see fit, its completely your decision."

"I think that it may help, don't you Tea?" said Yugi looking at his wife.

"I suppose, but she won't like it." Tea grinned half-heartily.

"No one likes extra work, I'll start to issue the homework to her Monday, they'll just be an extra sheet or two, nothing major."

"She's a bright kid, so she'll catch on quick." Yugi smiled.

"Now about Joshua…"

Yugi's smile wavered a bit.

"He's a good kid, but because of his love of sports, his school work is suffering a little. Not so much as to jump down his throat or anything. I just know that he'd not reaching his full potential."

"Would a talk about it, help?" asked Tea, her face full of concern.

"Maybe a quite talk may help. That's it. Are there any questions?"

"No, thanks for your time." Both Tea and Yugi stood, shook her hands and left for the door.

"eyyy, Yug!"

"Fucking hell, forget tequila, I'm going to need a shot of vodka after this is over." (5) Chloe muttered running a hand through her hair.

She then felt a long arm being thrown around her shoulders, a long arm that happened to be attached to her VERY loud blonde cousin-in-law, Joey.

"How's me fav female cousin-in-law?"

"Depressed, tired and needing a drink."

"That's da spirit!"

"Mai, how much sugar did you give him today?" she directed her question to the blonde bombshell in front of her.

"Not enough, to get him UP."

"That's fucking disgusting, I don't want to hear about your sex life, please!" she made a face, sticking out her tongue.

"Yes you do, it's the only action you get!" Mai accused, her glossed lips curved up into a smile.

"OOH! JELLYBEANS!" Joey grabbed a handful of jellybeans that were in a packet on Chloe's desk.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Can we just talk about Char's progress please?"

"Okay, okay." Joey mumbled through the mutilated sugar in his mouth.

"Well, she's doing great, smart, pretty, tough…"

"Of course, it runs in the Saberhagan genes (6)." Said Mai smugly.

"But she seems to have a short attention span…. Joey! Are you even listening to me!"?

"Wha?" the blonde blinked and looked around surprised.

"Never mind, go back to fairy land." Chloe muttered and slumped in her seat.

Mai hit him over the head with her handbag. "We're talking about your daughter, you baka! (Idiot!)"

"Oh! He he he. Go for it Chlo!" Joey put a hand behind his head, laughing.

"I've already said everything."

"Crap."

Mai rolled her eyes. "So, your back in town, for how long?"

"I'm staying for good this time." Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"Really?"

"Really."

"So, you feel like going out for drinks on Saturday night or something, with Joey and I?"

"We 'ave to find a babysitter yet." Joey put in.

"No, I'll be right. Thanks anyway."

"So you wanna be our babysitter?" ask Joey innocently.

Chloe laughed at the sharp look he got from Mai. "Unfortunately no, I'll be busy, why don't you ask Ash, or what about your sister Joey?"

"Where are you off to?" asked Mai curious.

"Duel monsters tournament."

"With?"

"Me, myself and Irene."

"Smart arse.

"You love me"

"You're lucky you're family."

"I know, come on, I've got other parents to talk to."

"Don ya mean bore?" Joey grinned.

"That is the wittiest thing that I've ever heard you say, Joey bravo." She gave him a little sarcastic clap.

Joey rolled his eyes. "Well if ya change your mind. Ya know our number." He leant over the table and gave her a sloppy, wet kiss on the cheek.

"Yuck!" Chloe wiped her cheek. "And you kiss that thing?" she directed her question at Mai.

"Yep!" Mai smiled, grabbing Joey by the arm and pulling him out of the room. "Ciao!" she blew a kiss and then was gone.

"Damn, eccentric family." Chloe smiled. "You've gotta love them, now who's my next victim?"

Ryou Bakura.

"Mr Bakura, could you please come in now?" she called out to the door.

Around half a second later, in walked an average-height male, with big brown doe-eyes and longish white hair. He was dressed in a light-gray business suit, and was carrying a small, brown, leather briefcase.

"Mr Bakura, I presume?":

"Yes." Came the curt reply with a nod.

"Please have a seat, Mr Bakura, I'll be with you in a minute." Chloe retrieved the Bakura's files.

The man remained silent.

"Well, to sum up all of your children's progress, I'd say that they're all around average for their age."

Ryou remained silent still.

"They're all great kids, very bright. Only their well…" Chloe trailed off

"Over whelming?" Ryou put in.

"No, I was going to say humor-orientated." Chloe smiled. Ryou returned the smile.

"Their pranks are rather funny, but only if they're harmless." Chloe averted her eyes.

"Are you referring to the "rat infestation" incident?" Ryou pressed, eyebrows raised.

"Hrm, yes."

Ryou gave a small laugh. " Don't worry I've had a talk to them, it's actually the first time it's worked."

Chloe raised an eyebrow.

Ryou sighed, "I used to always have to talk to them about their, games, I guess you'd call them, when Mr Brown was the teacher. They never liked him much. They must like you for some reason, they actually listened for once. But I can see why they like you." He smiled, cocking his head to one side.

"Err…well they're great kids." Chloe ducked, and blushed a little. "do you have any more questions?"

"No." Ryou said getting up and nodding. "Good bye."

"Bye"

Ryou paused and turned, half way to the door. "Shall I send in the next parent?" he asked softly.

"Yes, thank you. He's Marik Ishtar."

The man nodded and left.

Two minutes went by and then in entered the Egyptian. He had golden brown skin, with sandy-coloured hair and shapely lavender eyes that had what looked like a smudge of kohl (7) around them. He also had a rather arrogant smirk on his face.

"Mr Ishtar?"

"Call me Marik." He purred sitting down gracefully in the chair.

"Very well, Marik." Chloe breathed, really tired. "Well, let's get to the point."

The man nodded, his head resting on his hand.

"Well I would really like to give your son some extra work, he needs to catch up with the other students. As he seemed to well…"

"Slack off?"

"Yes, slack off, at the start of the year."

Marik snorted. "Yer well, I don't really blame him. He had a dickhead teaching him, he's certainly got a better one now." He gave a seductive smirk.

Chloe smirked back. "I seem to be hearing that a lot lately."

Marik raised an eyebrow.

"So do you have any questions?"

"Yes, actually I do." Marik smirked again and leaned forward. "What are you doing Saturday night?"

"I'm busy."

"Oh." Marik looked away. "How about Friday night?"

Chloe shrugged. "Sleeping?"

Marik smirked. "Really? You want to just sleep?"

"Or maybe I can drag myself out of bed long enough to last two-four hours." She smirked.

"Of dancing at my club?"

She nodded.

"I guess that I'll just have to put up with that." Marik smirked, and got up. "It was nice meeting you Miss Saberhagan." He sashayed to the door. "Call me." He purred and then left.

Chloe rolled her eyes and stretched.

"Now to organized Saturday night."

She shuffled her papers, and sighed. Picking up the phone, she started to dial the number.

She was going to have to call in a few favors to get what she wanted

Notes:

(1) I've read fanfics with duke having the scar under his eye, made into a tattoo; I mean it makes you wonder. What kind of guy gets a tattoo there? Wouldn't it hurt? Yes I know it's only anime, but I'd like to think there's something more sinister behind it.

(2) I think that Isis glides across the room than walks. Am I the only one that thinks so?

(3) Personally I've never heard of this couple, and I don't like it. They aren't the best, and they don't even know each other exists, but I had no one else to put them with and I didn't really want to put any more OCs in there than there already is, so sorry if you don't like them. XP

(4) The millennium items don't exist, in this fanfic anyway.

(5) Our class was playing up one day and our teacher had had enough and said that, well without the cussing bit. Rather funny when you think about it. XP

(6) Yes I know that Mai's maiden name was Valentine, but hears the story, Chloe and Mai had the same grandfather, there mother's were sisters. In this fic she doesn't like her parents, and only "likes" her mother because of her mother's sisters, her niece and nephew and her father.

(7) is what the Egyptians used to put around their eyes to keep the flies and things off (I think), and to look fashionable.

Okay, I was lazy and couldn't be bothered re-writing the whole chapter to put in the characters occupations, not that it matters anyway. But for those interested they are as follows;

**Duke:** owns a game shop, also has a contract with Pegasus for dungeon dice monsters

**Serenity:** homemaker/sectary I suppose she does part-time work.

**Isis:** she works at/sort of manages the museum, anyway she goes there to work… O.o

**Tristan:** handy man/stay at home dad. He just does odd jobs every now and again to keep himself occupied, and when money's low

**Yugi:** now owns and runs the Kame shop

**Tea:** photographer, she works at the agency Mai's with

**Joey**: baker, owns and manages a bakery down town, I once read a fanfic about him been a baker, and I liked the idea, so yer, don't own the idea. XP

**Mai:** a model, not a big shot model or anything, just does like photograph backings, and the occasional magazine ads.

**Bakura:** a big-shot lawyer, a barrister, not a Q.E or anything, but hey he still makes good money!

**Marik**: owns a successful nightclub downtown.

**Mokuba**: is a representative for Kaiba Corp

**Seto:** owns Kaiba Corp, duh!

**  
**


	10. Chapter 8

**Reviewers:**

**fanfiction addiction fan: **Thanks for reviewing, you're the only one in a long time, so thanks very much! Coz your review made me write the rest of this (unfortunate) short chappie. Hope you enjoy! I'll update as soon as I can!

Chapter 8 

"Meeeeeeemmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm." Groaned a rather disgruntled looking Derek. He scrunched up his nose and chewed on the end of his pencil. It was a rather bad habit that he and his father shared, actually.

He threw the pencil down in frustration, and rubbed his hands over his face. He couldn't seem to concentrate on the extended Maths homework, that Miss Saberhagan had issued him earlier than she'd intended. The questions were challenging yes, but he just couldn't concentrate for some reason.

Well okay so there was a reason. It was what Miss Saberhagan had asked him today during the time between class and recess. And the boy was rather puzzled about it.

FLASHBACK

"24 divided by 2 is 12." Derek was mumbling to himself. His pencil furiously scribbling on the paper in front of him. Copying down (and completing) the maths problems from the board.

"14 take 7 is 7"

_BRRRRINNNNGGG!_

Derek jerked his head up at the sudden noise of the bell, realising that he'd finished all the problems.

"Okay people." Miss Saberhagan called out over all the commotion. "I want those problems done for homework

A few grunts and groans were murmured.

"Do we ha-ve to?" whined Malik from his seat, a pained expression on his face.

"Si."(1) She said simply, never looking at him.

"This sucks." He sulked, starting to collect his things.

"So does grading 20 science, 16 English and 20 maths tests, during my lunch hour today." She retaliated, smirking at the child. "But I still have to do it. As you have to do that work. So work with me hear Malik. **Please**?"

Malik just emitted a small smile and walked out the door, of the nearly empty classroom.

Derek sat there mutually, slowly putting away his books in his desk neatly. Before Miss Saberhagan's voice interrupted him.

"Derek, could I talk to you?"

Derek stared at her' a puzzled expression on his face.

"Umm…Sure." He blinked

Chloe took the seat in front of him, sitting there in silence, just looking at him for a few minutes.

Derek adverted his eyes down to his desk, feeling a little uncomfortable under her intense gaze. Finally he looked at her.

"You wanted to speak to me?"

Miss Saberhagan jerked her head a little and plastered an apologetic smile on her face.

"Oh, yes. Well actually I wanted to ask your advice"

Derek nodded, prompting her on.

She smiled again and cleared her throat. "Well…you see I have this friend that has these tickets to the Duel Monster's tournament this Saturday. Now she has this…person she sees at her work everyday, and she wants him to go. Only she's not sure how to ask him, or even if he wants to go with her. There's an age difference between them, so she's only looking for a friendship. But she's still not sure. What should she do?'

Derek sat there quietly. Taking everything in, he understood what she was saying, because he wasn't stupid. She wanted him to go with her.

Derek looked her in the eye, frowning a little before answering. "I believe that she should just ask him straight out…" he smiled a little before continuing. "Instead of speaking to him in code."

Miss Saberhagan returned his smile, and waved a hand. "Well, would you like to go? They're 3rd row seats. Not the best I realise, but better than the back, no?"

Derek glanced down at the table shyly, before looking up.

"I'd love to!" he beamed, his face lighting up, looking more child-like than it probably ever had.

"Excelente!(2)" Chloe beamed a dimple foaming in her right cheek. She nodded, before getting up and walking towards her desk.

Derek just sat there. Grinning like a madman.

END FLASHBACK

The young Kaiba rubbed his eyes. Even if he worked up the courage to ask his father if he could go. He knew that he couldn't. Seto would just turn him away as usual.

"Unless…" thought Derek slyly

LATER THAT DAY

"Now, Mr Kaiba, if you'll just follow me to the control room. I'll take you to your father." Spoke the man, in the white lab coat.

Derek nodded, and instinctively gulped. Perhaps while his father was working wasn't the best time to ask him about the tournament, but he had no other choice. If his father wasn't distracted enough when he asked him. He wouldn't let him go.

Derek would rather face the wrath of an angry, distracted Seto, than the inquisitive mind of a content, steady Seto.

They reached the control room, they exchanged nods, and then Derek stepped in, while the technician stayed at the door.

"Father…?" Derek spoke quietly looking at the hunched figure of Seto, bent over the control panels, muttering to himself while pressing multiple buttons, and entering coding systems.

"Father?" Derek spoke a little louder, hoping to get the man' attention.

"What is it?" Seto harshly, snapped, not looking at the boy.

"I…I was, well…I was wondering…"

"What?" the man spoke again, possibly with more anger than before.

"I…was wondering, if I could…have permission…"

"SYSTEM FAILURE, SYSTEM FAILURE." Stated the computer, earning a rather loud and angry curse from the elder Kaiba.

Seto whirled around and faced his son.

"Look." He spat. "Whatever it is, you can have permission for, just GET OUT AND LET ME GET BACK TO WORK!" he roared, returning to the control panel, muttering curses all the way.

"Thankyou!" Derek said quickly and ran out of the room, with a big goofy grin on his handsome face.

(1) Means "yes" in Spanish. She'll be speaking a lot of Spanish from now on. But I'm only getting it out of a dictionary, if anyone has any tips or swear words for me (in Spanish of course!) please review!

(2) excellent


	11. Chapter 9

**Reviews:**

**KatrinaKaiba ** thanks for reviewing! Glad that you like it, so anyway here's a new chapter for you!

**Setalina Muro**: don't worry about not reviewing the last chapter, I'm not offended….You printed out my story! That's counts pages 33 pages! faints I'm very flattered though, don't get me wrong! yes IsisXTristan, creepy. I'm regretting putting them together, but I really don't want to change all those chapter's with them and their daughter in it…doesn't matter….yes our Derek is getting good at pushing peoples buttons, reminds me of Mokuba pushing Seto's buttons don't you think? Anyway about the "predicted" falling out….I'm keeping my mouth shut, maybe. Maybe not. Anyway thanks for reviewing and hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Danny'sGhostGirl:** Hey thanks for reviewing! Thanks for the accent, I won't change the chapter for that one thing, but I will use it in future chapters! Cheers! And hope you enjoy this chapter!

**fanfiction addiction fan:** Thanks for reviewing! the last chapter was short I know, but hey I updated! And here's another one. Enjoy!

**Colleen (unsigned):** Hey thanks for reviewing! Yes I know I kinda do make Seto seem that way…. spanking? O.O Err…okay. Maybe that's a bit "harsh" grins evilly…. anyway here's the update!

Chapter 9 

"Mmmmm…" Chloe groaned pulling off her heeled boots and rubbing her sore feet. She'd just been out dancing with Marik Ishtar for the last three hours. That was all their "date" had consisted of.

Marik had been a nice enough guy, but he wasn't someone she needed or really wanted to get involved with right now. He was a playboy character. And though she was only young, she was tired of playing the game. She just wanted to settle down, wether it be just a relationship or something more (like children). She just wanted something more.

Marik and her had talked, laughed and flirted outrageously all night. She'd even seen some of the parents from the interviews there. Laughing and dancing.

She flopped down onto her bed, and rolled her head over to face her alarm clock.

11.00pm

She and Derek were going to meet outside the tournament around noon, for some strange reason he'd wanted to meet her there. She supposed it was because of his father.

Chloe emitted a loud sigh, before getting off the bed and turning on her CD player. Letting the slow music wind her down after a long day.

"Maybe she won't show…." A worried frown creased the young Kaiba's face. Derek tapped his foot impatiently. Glancing frequently at his watch.

He'd been waiting here for about 5 minutes. Though it felt like five hours.

He emitted a sound that was a cross between a whine and a groan before checking his watch again. Damn! Only thirty seconds had past!

"Where is she…?" Derek muttered. Not bothering to hide the disappointment in his voice as he thought that no one was near enough to hear him.

"Right behind you…."

Derek jumped and whirled around in surprise. Eyes wide, mouth agape.

Chloe put a hand over her mouth a chuckled. Smiling she said, "Didya think I'd done a runner on you?

Derek just gave her a quizzical look. Not used to that type of slang.

"Thought I wouldn't show up?"

Derek looked at the ground embarrassed at the truth.

Chloe lifted his chin with her finger. Looking at him in the eyes. "I wouldn't do that to you Derek. I promise." She was very serious.

"Promises are worthless." Derek merely stated. No emotion in his voice.

Chloe raised her eyebrows. "I've never made a promise that I haven't kept. And I don't plan on breaking that tradition anytime soon."

They both just stared at each other for what seemed like the longest time. Before breaking eye contact.

Chloe glanced away looking at the tall, impressive white stadium that they were in front of. She started to walk to it, only turning back to Derek halfway there. Nodding towards the building as if to say "Come on!"

Derek smiled a little then ran to her. Walking alongside her into the building.

INSIDE

"Wow…" Derek murmured to himself, rather impressed at the size and structure of the building.

"Uh huh..." Murmured Chloe alongside him.

They walked down a long corridor made of mahogany wood that shined from been freshly lacquered. The walls were of a tastefully off-white colour that bore no marks. The walls skirting was painted a deep, brown colour to match that of the floor. Various landscape pictures and portraits of people hung upon the walls, all spaced out.

The sounds of their footsteps echoed in the corridor. They both walked in silence, eyes focused on the door at the end of the hall.

Once they'd reached the door, they were greeted by a tall red-haired man in a bright blue uniform. He smiled and then showed them to their seats.

The complex was a large circular arena with seats around, set at different heights. (A/N: think the Roman Coliseum). All the same off-white colour, with deep brown seats.

Once they were comfortably seated, the lights dimmed.

"It's starting." Whispered Derek to no one in particular, though Chloe smiled and nodded in response.

"**GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. ARE YOU READY TO SEE SOME SERIOUS DUELING?"** came a pumped voice from the loudspeakers that were positioned around the large complex.

A loud roar came from the huge crowd.

"**I SAID ARE YOU REALLY TO DUEL?"**

The crowd responded once again with a louder roar. Derek, forgetting himself, yelling along with them

"OKAY! THEN IT'S TIME TO D-D-DUEL!" 

A spotlight came upon the arena, that resembled a cross between a boxing ring and the duelling arena's used in Duellist Kingdom. Two figures entered the area from each of the wings.

The first of the figures was a young woman of considerable height. Blonde hair with red streaks through it, (that matched her flamboyantly red, close cut dress and knee high boots) framed a thin face that held jade green eyes. She was smiling sweetly and flirting outrageously with the crowd, posing and fluttering her eyelashes.

Chloe sniggered slightly, her been reminded of Mai when she was younger.

Derek just gave her a slightly queer look and turned his attention back to the beginnings of the duel.

The second figure was a bit shorter than her opponent, and more healthily built. Red hair tossed carelessly into a ponytail, framed her round face that held her greeny-gold eyes. She wore a board expression and was shuffling along in a black singlet, cargo pants and scruffy black sneakers.

Both players approached the platforms, nodding to each other in acknowledgement.

ALRIGHT PLAYERS. TIME TO DUEL! 

The platforms were raised, and the arena set ready for the duel. Derek smiled, enjoying the atmosphere of everything.

_(A/N:PA is the red haired duellist, and PB is the blonde, flirty duellist. Also the following duel was written by **Ghostchecker**, because I can't write them for nuts. so yer don't own it.) _

**PA & PB: both draw seven cards**

**PA: places trap and spell card face down**

PB: places 1 magic and sets 2 trap cards PA: draws card. Discards 2 ends turn 

"Come on, play something already!" yelled a random person from the crowd. Obviously bored with the duel.

PB: draws cad. Ends turn 

**PA: draws card, discards it and end turn her turn. **

"Play something!" yelled another random person.

"The blonde one is planning something." Mused Derek quietly. Absorbed totally in the duel. Chloe gazed at him, a smile on her lips, thinking the exact same thing.

**PB: discards hand, draws new, ends turn**

**PA : plays ancient Elf and Yomi ship. **

"Finally some action" yelled the man from before, been rather rude about it.

"What an arrogant pig." Snorted Chloe in the direction of the man.

Derek gave a small giggle; covering his mouth with his hand.

Chloe turned and smiled at him, earning a cheeky smile back.

"So, enjoying yourself?" asked Chloe lazily, turning towards him, resting her head on her hand.

"Yes. Yes I am." Answered Derek contently facing her.

"So what's your favourite card?" she shrugged. "For conversation's sake." She added quickly at his curious raised eyebrow.

"Ummm…Blue Eyes…I guess…" he stared back down at his feet.

"Father like son…" Chloe mused quietly, but stopped when she saw the look on Derek's face.

His face was screwed up, his hands clenched in fists and his eyes shot anger and sadness at the same time.

"I'm sorry." And she was defiantly sincere about it. "That was uncalled for."

Derek just nodded in acknowledgment.

"Hey." She lightly tapped him on the arm. "Look if I'd known you'd felt that way, I wouldn't have said that. I speak my mind sometimes, without thinking."

"Do you really think I'm like him?" Derek quietly whispered, turning towards her.

"Derek." She inhaled deeply. "I don't know you well enough to judge you in that way. But from what I've seen, you're an entirely different person to your father, and a very intelligent, interesting and charming one at that." They both smiled.

"Come here…" she held out her arms, to which he embraced, great fully.

They sat there for a few minutes, hugging.

AND MISS MARINA IS THE WINNER OF THE DUEL! 

Both Chloe and Derek looked up surprised at the announcement. They looked over to the playing field to find that the blonde duellist dubbed Marina had played blasting of the Ruins (in which you need 30 cards to activate) and wiped out her opponent in one blast.

They both smiled and laughed, letting go of each other.

"Good duel?" asked Derek.

"I've seen better. Bet you have too."

"Sort of…not really that many…. unless my Uncle is in town…."

Chloe adverted her eyes from Derek, before getting up and stretching out her hand to him. Which he took.

"(1)I'm feeding for a milkshake. Want one?" she asked, still holding his hand.

He looked up at her and just smiled, as they walked out of the building, hand in hand.

(1) yes it's the line off the movie "Honey"….and no I don't own that either.


	12. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** Now you should all know, that by now, I don't update frequently like I should. I don't mean this, but sometimes I'm just too busy or inspiration hasn't yet struck. So I thank you for you're patience.

**Disclaimer**: do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, it's characters, the lyrics of "how you remind me"-Nickelback

Reviews! 

**Setalina Muro:** Thanks! beams you've made my day! Yes I know I did make the slang weird, meh! I'm not saying Seto isn't 'intelligent, interesting and charming', okay well I am…But! That may change…soon…he he he any way thanks! And I hope that you enjoy this (prolonged) update!

**Miss Doma Yuset**: thanks for reviewing! I'm not sure when I'll start to make that happen, maybe sometime soon…. you'll just have to keep reading to find out! gives cheeky grin glad you like Derek! I love him too! Tar!

**Glastea**: thanks for reviewing! Glad you like! I don't think I've made Kaiba seem that "evil" as you put it, heartless a little, but not really evil, if I did, I didn't mean to…..thanks anyway, I'll take that into account when I'm writing his character, which is what I tried to do for this chapter, I hope this is a bit better. Thanks for the review, you made my day with the last sentence!

**KatrinaKaiba:** thanks so much! I'm glad that you like Derek so much! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Danny'sGhostGirl**: glad you enjoy that story…hope you like this chapter!

**fanfiction addiction fan:** thanks for reviewing! It's okay, the main thing is that I got your review! I'm glad your so into this story, smiles anyway hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 10**

_10pm_

A loud sigh of lost hope and regret, can be heard, in the dark, spacious room that was Seto Kaiba's office. The man himself, was slumped, his body dejected of any energy, in his large black, leather chair, in front of a large, curtain less, window. In his right hand was a glass; half empty of some alcoholic liquid, in the left was a framed photograph, probably about four or five years old.

He took a sip of the drink, grimacing at how strong it was.

He shut his eyes for a moment, breathing in deeply, and then once again opening them.

Using the light of the moon behind him, he stared at the photograph. Looking back at him appeared to be a one-year-old image of himself, only it wasn't.

In the photograph, the lean, muscular arms of Mokuba were wrapped around the tiny form of Derek, who was giving the camera one of those cute, wide, baby-smiles, while reaching out a hand to the camera.

Seto remembered this day as if it had just happened. Derek had been reaching out to him, laughing a giggling at the camera. Pulling faces and throwing bits of cake at an expensive vase of his mothers. To which Seto was very glad that he broke; he hated the ugly thing.

His mother on the other hand had thrown a tantrum and stormed off to her room. Only to be coaxed out when Derek wouldn't stop crying for her. Even when she did come out, she held him away from her, passing him to other people when she could.

It wasn't that she didn't love Derek in her own way. It was just that she wasn't "mother-material"; she was a very self-indulgent woman.

Seto sighed and shifted in his seat; closing his eyes, he let the memories come back.

He'd met her at some high-class, boring, charity event that Mokuba had asked him to go to. She was in the middle of everything, flirting and enjoying the attention of many of the men, married and single, there.

She'd come over to him and starting to talk, and flirt a little. He'd just given her the cold shoulder and some flat conversation, but that didn't detour her. She asked after him for about a month or so, before he finally gave up and went out with her.

On one particular date he'd asked why him?

She'd just replied with, "I need to be saved…and so do you.." and with that he'd realised that she never really loved him or lusted after him, only that she needed to be looked after, which he could certainly do better than any of those other fools she'd been flirting with, without asking really for anything in return. Also he didn't want to die alone. Plus his might boast his reputation. So after about a year or so, they became engaged, then married.

The relationship itself wasn't intimate, affectionate nor a friendship, merely tolerance for one another and physical needs.

When she became pregnant, Seto was happy, though he didn't show it. He was glad that now he was going to have an heir to the company that his brother had made clear he didn't want to run.

When Mokuba found out he was jumping around, shouting "I'm gonna be an uncle! I'm gonna be an uncle!"

She'd just smiled at his antics, getting on better with him, than her own husband.

When Derek was born, it was one of the best days of Seto's life, especially when he'd realised that Derek resembled him in all his physical attributes. For he was a very vain man.

He only hoped that Derek would also mimic him in his business sense and not waste half his time and money on petty, self-indulgent, little things, like his mother.

Seto's head lolled to the side, his head nuzzling the leather lightly.

Only three years later that same woman would do such a stupid thing as to not pay attention on the road whistle behind the wheel. Her tiny, sports car running through a supposed "clear intersection", only to be cleaned up by a big truck coming the other way. She'd died on impact.

Although Seto'd never loved her in the way that he should've, considering he was her husband, he'd felt a great pang of sadness, guilt (for both himself and Derek) and anger. He was angry with himself. Angry for letting himself get "close" to someone that had ended up dieing anyway. Much like his parents. It was the same scenario all over again.

That's why he suddenly became so distant with Derek and a little with his own brother. It hurt too much to think that he could lose them both so easily like he'd lost Derek's mother and his parents. Seto'd believed that he was protecting both Derek and Mokuba, by been so cold, not letting them (try to) get so attached (Derek mainly). So when death did come, they would not feel as hopeless and lost as he had.

Though Seto knew deep down, that he was only protecting himself. He was scared of losing them, so he didn't want to "know" them.

He'd strained his relationship with Mokuba. And Derek, well there just wasn't one.

"It's too late to change…." Seto mumbled, draining his glass. Coughing at the burning sensation that came as the liquid ran down his throat. The CEO closed his eyes and tilted his head back, drifted off. Letting his glass fall on the soft carpet; it's residue seeping out into the carpet.

"_And this is how you remind me-e-e-e-e…. of what I real-ly am…" _

Derek laughed lightly and rolled his eyes. Miss Saberhagan was currently in the shower, which she apparently liked to sing in, which wasn't so bad….

"_It's not like you to say sor-ry… was waiting on a differ-ent stor-y… this time I'm mist-aken… FOR HANDL-ING YOU A HEART WORTH BREAK-ING!" _

Derek flinched. "So long as she sings quietly and on key." He finished out loud. Never the less, he smiled and rubbed his hair with the towel he was holding.

They'd gone for milkshakes, ended up missing the last bus back into town and had to run in the sudden downpour that had occurred. They'd ran at least a couple of blocks, before waving down a taxi and headed back to Chloe's place.

Derek heard the water cut out, only to be replaced by the rumble of the ancient dryer, which currently held all his previously soaked clothing.

Chloe had lent him an old men's work shirt, and an old pair of comfortable socks until his clothing was dry.

The clothing in question had been residing in an old cardboard box that had

"J. Saberhagan" scrawled untidily on it. When he'd asked who "J. Saberhagan" was, Chloe just given him a small, wavering smile and turned from him.

He'd finished drying his hair and grabbed the warm blanket he'd been given and wrapped it around him tightly, making his way over to the small wood fire, sitting in front of it. Staring hypnotically into it.

"Is the fire really that interesting?"

Derek jumped a little, and then relaxed when Chloe can into view. Chloe merely smiled, before chucking her damp towel onto the couch and setting up the ironing board she'd drag out.

She disappeared for a moment more, returning with a basket of warm clothes from the dyer and an iron.

Derek got up and shuffled over, peering into the basket.

"It's really not necessary…."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…. I'm _not_ the sort of person who doesn't finish what they started, Derek."

Derek bowed his head, blushing.

A sigh was heard.

"Look Derek. Sorry. I guess it's just a defence mechanism…" she gave him a crooked smile.

Derek's head was still bowed.

"Hey…" She walked around and bobbed down to his level, lifting his chin with her hand. She stared straight into his azure eyes.

"I work, and I work hard. I'm not satisfied until the job is done, and is done properly. Most of my life, people think that I have just sat back and done nothing, and what jobs I did, were thought to be cra-not good. But I used to do most of it, and well, let other's take the credit for them…"

"Why?"

"That's what family do for each other, look out for each other. Love makes you do things for some, that you wouldn't dream of for others." She smiled, her eyes watering slightly.

" So, I'm sorry Derek, I didn't mean anything by that comment. It's…just a way of protecting myself."

Derek blinked a few times, and then put his arms around her neck hugging her, fiercely. She responded much the same way, pulling his small body close to hers, closing her eyes to prevent the flow of tears that suddenly threatened to spill out.

"_Damn, I'm going soft…I haven't cried in years What's this kid doing to me?." _She thought to herself, glad that no one on earth could read minds.

The hug ended, both parties pulling away from each other, a bit sheepish at the sudden display of emotions.

Derek gave a weak smile and shivered slightly.

"I'd better get you a hot drink…" Chloe stood up and hurried to the kitchen to busy herself there for a while.

After drinks were drunk, clothes ironed and put on and animated conversation and laughter had followed, a quick "I'd better get you back home soon." Shattered the day's happy illusions for Derek.

He'd reluctantly nodded and gotten into her blue car that had been earlier returned by a young blue-eyed, blonde haired woman of 20 or so who'd rudely stared at Derek, before been ushered away by Chloe with a quiet "We'll talk of this later, Becky."

_Knock, knock, knock_

The figure of Seto Kaiba stirred slightly in his sleep, not waking.

_Knock, knock, knock_

A groan escaped his lips, him half sleeping, half awake.

_Knock, knock, knock_

A louder groan escaped the man, while his eyes opened slightly into slits.

_Knock, knock, knock_

"Is that my head or the door…?" the CEO mumbled, one hand supporting his head, the other rubbing his eyes.

_Knock, knock, knock_

"No it's the door…" he got up, staggering slightly and walked purposely out of the room, to the source of the noise.

_Knock, knock, kno-_

The noise abruptly stopped as Seto was descending the stairs

"Yes? How may I-…. MASTER DEREK! Where? Why? What have…?" stuttered an elderly butler. Not exactly sure what to make of the scene before his eyes of his master's son and a strange woman.

The young boy gave a small sheepish grin, which quickly disappeared when his eyes met the blackening face of the elderly man before him.

"Well-…" started Derek painfully.

"MILTON!" came a sharp, deadly bark from behind the said man.

The elderly servant Milton turned around quickly a jumped a little when met with the dark features of the greatly feared Seto Kaiba

"Y-ye-s s-sir?" stumbled the man.

"Go to bed. _I_ will handle this." His voice was low and dangerous, letting there not be a second thought in Milton's head as he disappeared very quickly into the shadows of the mansion.

Seto then turned towards the door.

"Where were you Derek?" he asked in a monotone voice; eyes boring straight into the boy.

"Well-…I-I was out-…. remember you said…said that I could…" Derek mumbled with his head bowed, trying to escape his fathers staring.

"Where?" Seto once again stated.

"With me."

"And who are you?" Seto asked, sneering slightly down at the short woman.

"I'm…." she glanced briefly at Derek, seeing him nod his head, she continued. "Derek's friend, Brock's mother. The boys had been spending the day with me at a duel monsters tournament and we got caught in a sudden freak downpour. I didn't realise how late it was, otherwise I would have brought Derek home earlier. Sorry."

She released a breath she didn't know that she'd been holding when he simply nodded, the liquor previously consumed calming him.

A few awkward minutes of silenced passed before Chloe nodded.

"Well Mr Kaiba, it's been a pleasure meeting you. But it's late, and Derek and I do need some sleep, as you look like you do too." She extended her hand, and they shook.

"Do I know you?" Seto asked, a puzzled expression on his face. " I do believe that I've met or at least heard of you before…."

"Not unless Derek's mentioned me before, I don't think so, Mr Kaiba." She smiled and broke the handshake. "Well good night."

She bent down to Derek's level, smiled and then shook his hand. "I guess I'll see you soon, Derek. Bye and good night."

And with that she walked off.

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Yes okay weird I know….but hey! I UPDATED! Yes miracles do happen. Well hope you enjoy and JA NE! 


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